Embedded Files
MC Jin’s track “Stop the Hatred” was inspired by his eight-year-old son, Chance. On March 21, days after eight people, including six women of Asian descent, were killed in the Atlanta-area shootings, Jin attended a rally against anti-Asian violence at Columbus Park in Manhattan. While activists were taking turns speaking on stage, Chance went up and yelled into the mic, “Stop the hatred!” The song “Stop the Hatred” is a collaboration between Jin and Wyclef Jean and is meant to send a message of unity between the Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) and Black communities.
Albums
Albums
R&B / Soul
I Can't Breathe | Music for the Movement | Various Artists
“Think back to Nina Simone’s 'Mississippi Goddam' or Aretha Franklin’s 'Respect' during the civil rights movement. Or even N.W.A.’s 'F— Tha Police' during the height of the war on drugs. Alongside every social justice demand for change is a fitting soundtrack. And therein lies the inspiration for The Undefeated and Disney Music Group’s joint EP, I Can’t Breathe/Music for the Movement. The project is not only an ode to the social justice movements that have emerged in America in 2020, but it’s also a call to action ahead of Election Day”
The release of Beyoncé’s Lemonade was a huge cultural moment, not least for its artistic excellence and exuberating visuals but its narrative, which focused on her personal life. Inviting the world into the turbulence of her marriage, Lemonade spotlights Beyoncé’s womanhood, insecurities, and the power of female endurance, forgiveness, and wrath. However, politics doesn’t take a backseat. As well as featuring the Black Lives Matter anthem “Formation”, the album samples Malcolm X on the furious track “Don’t Hurt Yourself” and includes appearances by Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, and Michael Brown’s mothers. She teams up with Kendrick Lamar for the bewildering “Freedom”, a liberating track promoting personal redemption and releasing yourself from past traumas to come back stronger. At first glance, you may think Lemonade is about cheating but really, it’s about the systemic oppression and cultural violence endured by black women.
"It opens with the ambient noise of a party; it's a homecoming for a Vietnam veteran. Beneath the celebration, there's uneasiness. The central theme of 'What's Going On' and the album of the same name came from Marvin Gaye's own life. When his brother Frankie returned from Vietnam, Gaye noticed that his outlook had changed. He put himself in his brother's shoes and wrote a song that stands among the most tuneful works of consciousness-raising in American music. 'What's Going On' looked at the forces shaping American culture at the beginning of the 1970s, that moment when hippie-era idealism crashed into the realities of poverty, of mystifying war, drug abuse, and racial misunderstanding."
Rap / Hip-Hop
“The late ’80s classic by NWA forced the mainstream to see the systemic struggles and harsh realities of Los Angeles’ inner-city youth during the height of the crack epidemic. The group, which included Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Eazy-E, MC Ren, and DJ Yella, highlighted classism, racism, and America’s deeply disenfranchised society, making their outrage crystal clear on every track of the certified-platinum album” (British Vogue).
“In 'All Falls Down', one of the album’s most popular singles, he reflects on toxic consumerism within the black community, while tracks like 'Jesus Walks' and 'Two Words' see him address police brutality. In the poignant 'Never Let Me Down' featuring Jay-Z and J. Ivy, he references segregation and recounts his mother getting arrested at the age of six for sitting at a whites-only counter: 'Racism still alive / They just be concealing it,' he raps” (British Vogue).
It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back | Public Enemy
Hip-hop group Public Enemy has never been one to shy away from political narratives, especially in their music. The group’s second album, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, is often described as the greatest hip-hop album of all time, a bold yet valid statement. Fuelled by revolutionary grit, it consists of references to black history, culture, and American civilization, sampling the likes of Bob Marley, Malcolm X, Jesse Jackson, and James Brown. The track “Don’t Believe The Hype” addresses manipulative media while “Night of the Living Baseheads” targets the crack epidemic, and “She Watch Channel Zero?!” highlights the brainwashing powers of trash TV. Member Chuck D once described the group as an “information portal” stating that their aim was to “teach the bourgeois and rock the boulevards.” The album did just that.
To Pimp a Butterfly | Kendrick Lamar
"'To Pimp a Butterfly' is an album that deals with materialism, racism, oppression, and above all else, self-love. The album's title To Pimp a Butterfly, while a clever nod to Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, is also a metaphor for the literal pimping of something as beautiful/free as a butterfly."
South London MC Stormzy made history when his debut, Gang Signs & Prayer, became the first grime album to hit number one on the official UK chart — a monumental moment for black British music. Within it, Stormzy depicts the journey of black male adolescence on the streets of London and the pain and trauma that comes with it. He tackles feelings of displacement with his newfound fame and as portrayed by the title, his struggles to navigate the environment he grew up in versus the faith he was raised with. The album’s commercial success shifted the narrative of mainstream UK music, giving a voice to the experiences of black British youth.
Neo-Soul
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill | Lauryn Hill
“As well as bringing the genre to the mainstream, the album redefined what hip-hop really meant as Hill integrated singing and rapping on tracks like 'Doo Wop (That Thing)' and 'Everything is Everything', and introduced a new sense of vulnerability to the genre by tackling themes of love, shattering heartbreak, motherhood, distrust, religion, and empowerment. Most importantly, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill created an unmatched cultural shift within the industry by bringing hip-hop to the masses (it’s sold over 19 million copies worldwide) whilst challenging gender politics within the genre” (British Vogue).
Like Water for Chocolate | Common
"Actually, the album is named after a movie of the same title. In the movie, the main character was a really good cook. She would always be cooking for people. Whenever she would cook, she would really put a lot of emotion into it. So when people would eat her cooking, they were able to feel the same emotions she felt while cooking it. You feel me? So this is the same thing. I put all my heart, my mind and my rawness into these tracks. So I hope that people can feel that when they listen to the album. I first saw the title and thought that it was real interesting, and I was like, ‘Man, this is different.’ It made me think, ‘What does it mean?’. And it was appealing to me enough to dig into a meaning for it. So, I used “Like Water For Chocolate” to represent the water side in me, which is a Pisces, and the chocolate represents the soul, the blackness in the music." - Common
Gospel Music
In 2008, nine-time GRAMMY® Award winner Wynton Marsalis was commissioned to write a piece commemorating the 200th anniversary of Harlem’s Abyssinian Baptist Church. The result was a sacred celebration: a sweeping composition for a big band and 70-piece gospel choir. In 2013, award-winning recording artist Damien Sneed and his choir, Chorale Le Chateau, joined the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis for a 16-city, 19-concert tour across the South that took the musicians into deep dialogue with the African-American tradition. Now, The Abyssinian Mass—Marsalis’s first original recorded composition in six years—documents this piece’s immense power to make audiences clap their hands and sing along to its joyous spirituality, its profound swing, and its bluesy swagger.
Songs of My People | Paul Robeson
Paul Robeson excelled at sports, stage, and screen. (He practiced law too.) A preacher’s son, he also achieved fame as a performer of the slave songs known as “Negro spirituals.” These renditions of “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” “Nobody Knows de Trouble I’ve Seen,” “Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho,” “Ezekiel Saw De Wheel,” et al. — recorded by Robeson and the classically trained pianist Lawrence Brown for the Victor Talking Machine Company during the Roaring ‘20s — were more redolent of Carnegie Hall than of plantations. But Robeson was selling in, not out. Like the Motowners who decades later would imbue the “Sound of Young America” with class and soul, Robeson considered the sublimation of intense emotion to his day’s standards of artistic decorum to be a step up, up, and away from an excruciating past that for African-Americans of his generation was never far from becoming all too present.
Songs of My People: The Complete Collection | Sister Thea Bowman
This double-CD collection of Sister Thea Bowman’s Spirituals brings the powerful voice and message of a dynamic Black Catholic educator/apostle of love to a new generation. Born in Canton, MS, the granddaughter of slaves, the Servant of God, Sister Thea Bowman, FSPA (1937-1990) inspired millions through the gift of Black sacred song, delivered in an unforgettable mezzo-soprano. She witnessed to Jesus with her loving attentiveness to each person she was with and sought racial justice and racial harmony by promoting cultural awareness and the sharing of cultural gifts in the Church and beyond.
The Sound of My People | M. Roger Holland II
The Sound of My People utilizes various gospel styles from deep within the African-American tradition of Christian worship. Upon its release, GIA predicted that this would be the premier new setting for African-American communities from coast to coast. Scored for congregational singing, SATB choir, and piano, the music is a bit challenging but tremendously rewarding.
We Are Filled with Joy! | W. Clifford Petty
W. Clifford Petty, a native of Eufaula, Alabama has served as a Pastoral Musician at Resurrection Catholic Church in Montgomery Alabama since 1992. His "We Are Filled with Joy!" was released in November 2016.
In Spirit and Truth | Various Artists
In Spirit and Truth is a choral music series that features music from the African-American Catholic Community. Featured artists include Jalonda Robertson, M. Roger Holland II, W. Clifford Petty, Richard Cheri, and Cynthia Gowens.
Songs
Songs
Asian American Voices
"American Idol alum Jessica Sanchez’s “Us” speaks directly to discrimination against Asians in the United States in a positive, unifying way. The 25-year-old Filipina American’s music video features Shark Tank‘s Marc Cuban, along with makeup artist Patrick Starr, social star, vocalist, and model Liane V, Black Eyed Peas’ Apl de ap, singer Ne-Yo, and many others showcasing support for Asian Americans affected by racism and hate crimes. 'I wrote this song recently called ‘Us,'' Sanchez wrote on Instagram. 'My inspiration was from all the things that have been popping up on my feed regarding the spike in discrimination and violence toward the Asian community since Covid. I will stand up with [and] for everyone that needs a voice, showing my support with words in the best way I can & following with action in any way I can. We hear you and we’re here for you.'"
Stop the Hatred | MC Jin & Wyclef Jean
MC Jin’s track “Stop the Hatred” was inspired by his eight-year-old son, Chance. On March 21, days after eight people, including six women of Asian descent, were killed in the Atlanta-area shootings, Jin attended a rally against anti-Asian violence at Columbus Park in Manhattan. While activists were taking turns speaking on stage, Chance went up and yelled into the mic, “Stop the hatred!” The song “Stop the Hatred” is a collaboration between Jin and Wyclef Jean and is meant to send a message of unity between the AAPI and Black communities. The music video was directed by filmmaker Bao Nguyen (who directed Be Water) and was produced in partnership with The Asian American Foundation (TAAF). It was filmed in New York City’s Chinatown — a place where local businesses have been heavily impacted since the onset of the pandemic, with multiple restaurants and stores permanently closing.
Gold | Ella Jay Basco feat. Ruby Ibarra
"Birds of Prey actress Ella Jay Basco’s song “Gold” is a self-love anthem for the AAPI community. Featuring Filipino-American rapper Ruby Ibarra, 14-year-old Basco says the song 'incorporates that universal concept of not trying to figure out how to fit in and then finding your way.'"
African American Voices
"'Black Man' is a track on the 1976 Stevie Wonder album 'Songs in the Key of Life.' The song was written by Wonder and Gary Byrd. The song was written about Wonder's desire for worldwide interracial harmony amidst a racialized backdrop. The lyrics referred prominently to Crispus Attucks, widely considered the first martyr of the American Revolution. Wonder deliberately chose this theme as the United States Bicentennial was underway at the time of recording."
Optimistic | Sounds of Blackness
"Optimistic" was the debut single of inspirational choir Sounds of Blackness and the first release from Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis' Perspective label imprint through A&M Records. The uptempo song features lead vocals traded off between five members of the choir, most notably Ann Nesby who would take the lead on most of the group's singles for the next 5 years before leaving to embark on a solo career.
Everyday People | Sly & The Family Stone
The song is one of Sly Stone's pleas for peace and equality between different races and social groups, a major theme and focuses for the band. The Family Stone featured Greg Errico and Jerry Martini in its lineup, as well as Rose Stone and Cynthia Robinson; making it an early major integrated band in rock history. Sly and the Family Stone's message was about peace and equality through music, and this song reflects the same.
Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) | Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye's "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" is a poignant and powerful song that showcases Gaye's ability to blend social commentary with soulful melodies. His growth as both a singer and a songwriter is on full display during this period. The track was released in 1971 on Gaye's seminal album "What's Going On," which was a departure from his previous Motown hits and tackled issues of war, poverty, and racism. The song's hook, "Mercy Mercy Me, Things Ain't What They Used to Be," remains one of the most iconic in soul music history.
"Oh, Freedom" is a post-Civil War African-American freedom song. It is often associated with the Civil Rights Movement, with Odetta, who recorded it as part of the "Spiritual Trilogy", on her Odetta Sings Ballads and Blues album, and with Joan Baez, who performed the song at the 1963 March on Washington.
Lift Every Voice and Sing | Words by James Weldon Johnson & Music Composed by John Rosamond Johnson
Often referred to as "The Black National Anthem," Lift Every Voice and Sing was a hymn written as a poem by NAACP leader James Weldon Johnson in 1900. His brother, John Rosamond Johnson (1873-1954), composed the music for the lyrics. A choir of 500 schoolchildren at the segregated Stanton School, where James Weldon Johnson was principal, first performed the song in public in Jacksonville, Florida to celebrate President Abraham Lincoln's birthday.
Latin American Voices
Latin American Voices
La Vida es un Carnaval | Celia Cruz
La Negra Tiene Tumbao | Celia Cruz
Quimbara | Celia Cruz, Johnny Pacheco
Cumbia Sampuesana | Aniceto Molina
Cómo Te Voy A Olvidar | Los Ángeles Azules
Amor de Mis Amores | La Sonora Dinamita
Mil Horas | La Sonora Dinamita
Payaso de Rodeo | Caballo Dorado
Plástico | Willie Colón, Rubén Blades
La Cumparsita | Tango Argentino
Danza Kuduro | Don Omar, Lucenzo
Te Extraño - Bachata Version | Xtreme
Burbujas de Amor | Juan Luis Guerra 4.40
Bachata Rosa | Juan Luis Guerra 4.40
Frío Frío | Juan Luis Guerra 4.40
Las Avispas | Juan Luis Guerra 4.40
Para Ti | Juan Luis Guerra 4.40
La Bilirrubina | Juan Luis Guerra 4.40
No Me Compares | Alejandro Sanz
Playlists
Playlists
?uestlove | Music is History Playlist
In Music Is History, best-selling author and Sundance award-winning director Questlove harnesses his encyclopedic knowledge of popular music and his deep curiosity about history to examine America over the past 50 years. Choosing one essential track from each year, Questlove unpacks each song’s significance, revealing the pivotal role that American music plays around issues of race, gender, politics, and identity. This playlist includes songs prominently featured in Music is History.
Racial Justice / Anti-Racism Playlist
This playlist features contemporary artists' contributions to movements for racial justice in the 21st Century.
A collection of the biggest soul tracks from the 1970s.
The phrase 'neo soul' was originally coined by Kedar Massenburg in the 1990s to describe a particular style that was born out of soul and R&B. Far more eclectic in its influences, neo-soul fused its soul roots with funk, jazz, fusion, hip hop, pop, and African music.
Salsa evolved from mambo, which itself had origins in son, up-tempo urban folk music from eastern Cuba that evolved as it made its way to Havana and then to the clubs and streets of New York City.
Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month
May is AAPI Heritage Month and we're celebrating with a playlist that highlights the diversity of our communities! Let's honor our resilience in the face of adversity through music.
Afrobeat developed in Africa in the 1960s and 1970s and blends elements of Yoruba music, jazz, and funk rhythms with an instrumentation that emphasizes African percussion and vocal styles. Afrobeat was pioneered by Fela Kuti, a Nigerian bandleader, and instrumentalist whose musical ideas and political ideals formed the core of Afrobeat's aesthetic as it appeared in the 1960s. Today, Afrobeat is a mesmeric blend of West African and Black American music that has inspired throngs of contemporary acts worldwide with its unique rhythms and melodies.
Get your fill of Afrobeats and Bible right here!
New songs from some of the latest and greatest Gospel music artists.
African American Gospel music is a form of euphoric, rhythmic, spiritual music rooted in the solo and responsive church singing of the African American South. Its development coincided with - and is germane to - the development of rhythm and blues.
Podcast Resources
Podcast Resources
Just Conversations with Jamal and Nate | Ignatian Solidarity Network
A lay organization committed to networking, educating, & forming advocates for social justice animated by the spirituality of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Episodes include "Making Missions Matter: Exploring the Interconnectedness of Mission & DEI Work" and "Healing from the Hate - Remaining Resilient in the Face of the Racially Motivated Violence in Buffalo."
Questlove Supreme | iHeartPodcasts
Questlove Supreme is a fun, irreverent, and educational weekly podcast that digs deep into the stories of musical legends and cultural icons in a way that only Questlove and Team Supreme can deliver.
ALL REV'D UP explores where faith intersects politics and culture. Reverend Irene Monroe and Reverend Emmett G. Price III come from different black faith perspectives, they're of different generations, they hail from different parts of the country, and they come together in this podcast to talk about faith in a different way. They don't always agree, but they always hear each other out. Dive into conversations around race, faith, and this week's headlines with the Revs every other Wednesday. When something happens in the world, you want their take on it.
Just Conversations with Kelly Brown Douglas | EDS at Union
EDS at Union NOW will feature faith leaders, educators, and community organizers discussing the complicated social and moral challenges we face today, as well as the ever-changing world of theological education.
We Talk: Racial Justice in Our Schools | Students for Educational Justice
To celebrate Black History Month (which is formally February, but we think it's every month), SEJ members recorded a 2-part podcast episode about generational trauma, Black and brown healing, and Black joy. It's the first installment of our ongoing podcast project called "We Talk: Racial Justice in Our Schools." Thank you to the Yale WYBC station for letting us use their podcast technology! You can now stream part 1 and part 2.
In August of 1619, a ship carrying more than 20 enslaved Africans arrived in the English colony of Virginia. America was not yet America, but this was the moment it began. No aspect of the country that would be formed here has been untouched by the 250 years of slavery that followed. On the 400th anniversary of this fateful moment, it is time to tell the story. "1619" is a New York Times audio series hosted by Nikole Hannah-Jones.
Self Evident: Asian America's Stories | Self Evident Media
Self Evident challenges the narratives of where we come from, where we belong, and where we're going - by telling Asian America's stories. With host Cathy Erway, we present reported narratives, personal stories, and community conversations that tackle today's tough questions about identity, cultural change, and nationhood.
Nice White Parents | Serial Productions & The New York Times
If you want to understand what's wrong with our public schools, you have to look at what is arguably the most powerful force in shaping them: white parents. A five-part series from the makers of Serial and The New York Times. Hosted by Chana Joffe-Walt.
Special Episode: Healing the Racial Divide | Ascension Presents
Fr. Josh dedicates today's show to talking about the racial divide in our country, amidst the mourning of George Floyd, and offers some counsel on ways we can heal this form of division in our country.
Fr. Joshua Johnson and Sr. Josephine Garrett, C.S.F.N., share their experiences as Black Catholics, discuss why racism is sinful, and explore how Catholics are called to advocate for change.
CCW features conversations around local politics in Columbus, Ohio. Aimed at arming everyday people with knowledge about how government works, our goal is to break the barriers of entry and make politics accessible for anybody looking to be engaged. We aren't saying we have all the conversations any longer.
Daily Stream: Reflecting on I Am Not Your Negro with Melissa Crum | Wex
In February 2017, the Wex presented several public screenings of Raoul Peck's I Am Not Your Negro, a documentary portrait of writer and activist James Baldwin. One of them was presented in conjunction with the Wexner Center for the Arts Shumate Council and included a post-film workshop led by Melissa Crum, a member of the council and founder of Mosaic Education Network. The exercise, which asked the audience to consider the questions, "What does it mean to be equal?" and "What role does white supremacy play in preventing us from living us in the country the think we live in?", yielded some thoughtful, revealing responses about racism in America. With the call for understanding rises to a scream across the US through protests in small towns and large cities following the murder of George Floyd, we're sharing the audio from this workshop below with ways to access the Oscar-nominated film online, including links to view for free with an Amazon Prime membership or via Kanopy with your Columbus Metropolitan or Ohio State Library card. If you're not a target of racism, the workshop offers a simple path to begin having tough conversations with friends or family about the subject, as well as firsthand perspectives on the day-to-day impact of racial inequality.
Gloria Purvis on why the pro-life movement has been silent on racial justice | Jesuitical
This week, Ashley and Zac are joined by Gloria Purvis, the host of America Media's latest podcast "The Gloria Purvis Podcast." They discuss conversations about racism in Catholic spaces, the consistent life ethic, her hopes for the podcast, and more. During Signs of the Times, they examine the discovery of 215 bodies buried on the site of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School run by the Catholic Church and unpack why Cardinal Marx of Germany asked Pope Francis to accpet this resignation (since the time of recording, Pope Francis has declined Cardinal Marx's request).
Gloria Purvis on the murder of George Floyd one year later | Jesuitical
Today we're dropping the first episode of "The Gloria Purvis Podcast" from America Media! Gloria's show centers the voices of people who have been marginalized in the Catholic Church and in society. On this first episode, Gloria reflects on the murder of George Floyd one year later and speaks to a priest ministering in a historic Black Catholic community in Minnesota about the traumatic experience and how Catholics responded across the country.
The Latinx/e In Social Work Podcast | Erica Sandoval
The Latinx In Social Work Podcast is a show calling for awareness of racism, bias, and discrimination felt by Latinx social workers. By sharing personal narratives from social workers within the Latinx community, our goal is to undo the injustice and guide others to note where they exist.
NCR Podcast: Unpacking the U.S. bishops' pastoral letter on Racism
In November at their annual fall meeting, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops released a pastoral letter against racism. Called "Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love," the letter is the first of its kind since 1979.
What's CODE SWITCH? It's the fearless conversations about race that you've been waiting for. Hosted by journalists of color, our podcast tackles the subject of race with empathy and humor. We explore how race affects every part of society - from politics and pop culture to history, food, and everything in between. This podcast makes all of us part of the conversation - because we're all part of the story. Code Switch was named Apple Podcasts' first-ever Show of the Year in 2020.
The Gloria Purvis Podcast | America Media
Too many voices are not being heard in the Catholic Church today. "The Gloria Purvis Podcast" is a new podcast from America Media hosted by radio personality and Catholic commentator, Gloria Purvis. The podcast centers on the opinions, stories, and experiences of individuals who have been marginalized in the Catholic Church and in society. A consistent ethic of life informs the conversations and honestly critiques narrow applications of Catholic teachings and ideological attitudes. It's not liberal, it's not conservative. It's all about fostering a culture of charitable dialogue around the most complex and contentious issues in the Catholic Church today.
Mr. Lyke did not want white people to just get a “nice, teary experience” during those encounters only to walk away and ultimately learn nothing about systemic racism. That is partly why since 2011 he has served as director of the Office for Black Catholics for the Archdiocese of Chicago.
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